Civil defence against nuclear attack: An evaluation of one local plan

Abstract

In order to assess the value of civil defence planning for a nuclear attack, this paper focuses on a specific local example—the official civil defence plan of Pitt County, North Carolina, USA. Pitt County has been designated a host area in which all of its 90 000 residents and 75 000 evacuees from neighbouring target areas are to be sheltered. After a brief review of this plan, three crucial questions are considered: (1) Will the evacuees designated for shelter in Pitt County arrive? (2) Will county officials be able to provide for the needs of the sheltered population? (3) If the population is sheltered as planned, will they survive a nuclear war? Doubts are expressed about whether each of these goals could be achieved. For example, it is estimated that 13.5 per cent of persons in shelters would be exposed to lethal doses of fallout radiation, but the plan makes no mention of the danger of acute radiation sickness. In view of the serious weaknesses identified in the plan, the paper concludes that efforts...